Aim and Fire
by banana-peach-cream
Summary: [In which a pacifist is reborn as the Crown Prince(ss) Zuko and subsequently dooms the plot] I never asked to be reborn, especially not as Zuko. But now that I have this chance, no way am I letting myself die again. If push comes to shove, the world will have to take care of itself. SI/OC insert as Fem!Zuko
1. Chapter 1

I died.

In retrospect, I should've expected it to happen, but danger never feels real until all of the sudden, you're in a dangerous position.

Growing up in a small town in Southern California, I developed some pretty terrible habits due to the lack of crime. For instance, I never locked my door, always walked to the grocery store late at night, and always counted my money on the streets. It never mattered where I once lived since literally nothing happens (besides car crashes).

This proved to be fatal, though, once I moved to Chicago. The great city of crime! I always thought the rumors and hype surrounding the city were over exaggerated, and they mostly were. It was just like any other urban city. What I didn't realize was that life here was far different from the suburbs. I couldn't go around waving my money on a walk outside without expecting to get mugged.

And that's exactly what happened.

In my mind, I knew that it was much more dangerous in Chicago than my old town. It was never something I acknowledged due to lack of exposure. Since I didn't see it, it wasn't real. Even though I _knew_ , I still couldn't believe.

That pocket knife pressed up against my ribs along with a meaty, hairy arm against my neck _definitely_ changed my mind. From what I could tell, the man easily had 100 pounds on me, so much bigger that pulling me into the nearby alley was a breeze.

Moving lips near my ear demanded, "Give me all your money." His voice was raspy like he just chain smoked a pack of cigarettes. I seized up in fear. _This cannot be happening_ , I thought. _Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God_. Every single part of my body stiffened, but I somehow managed to move my shaking fingers to my wallet and take out my card and cash.

His arm, reaching down from the position across my neck, easily snatched the stash. My mind processed this and prematurely celebrated, _Oh God, it is over. It's going to be okay. I'm going to be okay!_ I started to smile and- _What the fuck!_

 _That bitch stabbed me anyway! This hurts so much!_

I screamed. I had never been in so much pain all my life! I couldn't even get a glimpse at my mugger's face since he ran down the alley, most likely to escape any authorities. In the back of my mind, I registered voices calling for help and for someone to call an ambulance. No relief was felt, however, when the worst pain in my life commanded my attention instead. Collapsing, my head felt woozy, and I got double vision. This pounding headache became worse and worse. I can feel myself losing consciousness. Just before it slipped, I faintly heard the telltale sirens of an ambulance. _Oh, I'm going to be fine_ , was my last thought in this lifetime.

The next time I regained consciousness felt like a dream. Opening my eyes, all I could see was infinite darkness. All I could feel was comfort and warmth. _Huh, this isn't so bad,_ ran through my mind. _If this is what death is like, I'm not going to mind_.

I could hear as well. Sometimes, there would be murmuring voices that sing in a comforting tone. I felt loved here.

However, my optimism shifted after several months. _I cannot stand another second,_ I thought. It feels too confining, too boring, and _I am going crazy!_ There was literally nothing to do! Sure, it feels nice, but I want to have some more stimulation! Frankly, this is boring.

Kicking out in frustration, my foot hit a wall. Albeit, it was soft and squishy but still something physical. I became horrified. The prospect of spending eternity in a squishy small prison with _nothing to do_ terrified me. _Is this Hell?_ I wonder. I didn't sin though! Sure, I lied to my parents a few times and slept around, but so many people do too! Never in my life did I purposefully harm someone with malicious intentions. So that can't be right.

My only salvation in boredom became kicking that wall from time to time. That was the _only_ thing in this prison I can do besides listening in on vaguely present voices.

For a few more months, it seemed like my prison was getting tighter and tighter. I felt claustrophobic when it became hard to even swing at the wall. There was nowhere for me to move! Anytime I tried moving anything, I was stopped by that same softness I often kicked. _Maybe this was punishment for my relentless abuse on the prison._

Then, the pressure built up against my head. It was so weird! Like someone trying to squeeze my head in a toddler's sweater. Finally, that pressure popped! Light flooded my vision, so bright compared to the months of darkness that I immediately closed my eyes. They were still squeezing the rest of my body, so I couldn't relax.

"Push, _push,_ Lady Ursa!" a female voice shouted. "You've got the head out! You are almost there!" _What the fuck is happening_ , I thought to myself. It sounded like this Ursa is giving birth, from the screams that joined that voice. From the recent dialogue and the pressure I felt, I was able to put two and two together and piece out that I was _being born, holy shit._ _Jesus Christ, this cannot be real._

But it is! The rest of my body slid out of Ursa ( _ew_ ), and the two midwives wrapped me in a soft cloth after wiping away the post-birth fluid. "What's wrong with her? She isn't crying," I heard. Oh yeah, babies need to cry after they're born. Totally forgot about that. That isn't an issue though. After dealing with months of pent up frustration, I easily started crying. In fact, I felt so overwhelmed and stressed that I sobbed harder than I would've thought. Screaming my pain away never felt so good.

Because the honest truth is that _I died_. I sort of knew back in the womb, but it didn't feel real until my rebirth. Only then did it hit me that my whole entire life is lost, I can never see my family and friends again, and it felt like I worked so hard for _nothing._ In my past life, I pushed myself extremely hard in academics so I would be able to have a financially stable career. Around once a month, I cried of stress, but felt hope because it would all pay off after college. But it wasn't worth it. If I knew I would die so young, then I would have spent more time doing what makes me _happy_.

There was so much more I wanted to accomplish, and _I am not ready to die._ And then, it hit me that I would never see my parents, grandparents, and brother. Never again could I ride around town with my older brother, eat my grandma's food, or crack jokes with my dad. _I hate that so much. I miss them so much._

I sobbed harder and harder. I barely registered the sarcastic, "Well, she's crying now," when my body was moved to someone's arms - Ursa, most likely. She started speaking, softly murmuring, "Oh baby, what's wrong? Calm down, dear. There's nothing to worry about now," and gently shook me in her arms. This type of comfort made me cry _even harder_ though. The love and care she showed me _really_ reminded me of my mom and made me miss her even more.

Throughout my mourning, the adults in the room began a conversation. "Have you decided a name yet?" one of the ladies asked. Ursa replied, "Yes, Prince Ozai and I settled on Zuko, whether or not our baby is male or female." "That's a fine name," the other lady said. I couldn't make out much more when exhaustion caught up to me. My cries grew softer and softer along with my energy which just seemed to slip away. So many events occured today, and sooner or later, I drifted off into deep sleep.

Something was off about that conversation. There was this niggling thought in the back of my mind that this was _wrong_. That my birth was wrong. The names Ursa, Prince Ozai, and Zuko sound awfully familiar.

Back in my old life, there was a cartoon called _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. I loved that show so, so much. It was basically my childhood. I remember roleplaying with my cousins the different elements, where I would pick water since I wanted to be Katara. After a year, I then began to pick air. Like Aang, I realized I was a pacifist and hated fighting of any sort. My 8 year old brain thought I could just blow the enemies away.

Before we grew out of it, I would always pick either water or air. Never earth since I thought it wasn't feminine. Never fire since I thought it was _evil_. Zuko hadn't redeem himself yet when I was roleplaying so in turn, I didn't want to play the villain. It also offended me on a personal level since _again_ , I hate fighting. Fire was destruction and pain.

Later on, I fell in love with Zuko in my teenage years. I always admired how he was able to turn his life around and _be good_. I still hated firebending though. Whenever I fantasized about being a bender, I once again imagined myself as either a water or airbender.

It's an absolute joke that I was reborn as Zuko. It's an absolute joke that I was reborn as _a firebender_. My personality is nothing like fire! I'm a coward! If Ozai thought original Zuko was a terrible bender, then oh boy, what's he going to think about me?

At least he had anger and jealousy to fuel him on. I literally did not care for combat of any sort. Azula is a prodigy, and good for her! I will gladly cheer on my sister.

 _Oh my God._ There is no way I can help Aang with his quest. I don't want to fight, and more importantly, _I don't want to die._ Not again. Even though it was a children's show, there was so much violence and fighting in that (this) universe. I don't think I can deal with that.

 _Okay, how can I ensure my survival without dooming the Gaang?_ Step 1: Be a terrible firebender. Or a nonbender. Step 2: Make sure Azula is the Crown Princess. Step 3: Do not interrupt the war council and get challenged to an Agni Kai. Step 4: Convince Uncle Iroh to help out the Avatar. Step 5: Live.

If I am terribly incompetent, then no one would trust me with anything. I can be confined to the Palace where I cannot be harmed.

 _Okay, that's all I have to do, all I have to do._


	2. Chapter 2

In my desperate, half-baked plan to stay alive, I forgot to think about one _very_ important factor: Ozai.

To be honest, I wasn't the most diehard fan, but I regularly visited the Wikia page of every single character. The Zuko one had this _tiny_ detail that I completely forgot about.

 _That Ozai was about to throw Baby Zuko off the palace walls until Ursa and the Fire Sages_ begged _him to reconsider._ All because he had no "spark" in his eye!

I started to remember when Ozai saw me for the first time ever. Ursa was there, too, but she did not look happy to see him. "Prince Ozai, what a wonderful surprise..." she remarked. "Finally here to see your daughter after three months."

Ignoring her words, he, in all his Fire Nation regalia, picked me up and looked at me straight in the eyes, studying me. When the most powerful man in the nation, the one who would have the most control over my life held me, I froze. I had no idea what to do, so I just squirmed in his grip and turned my head towards Ursa. I mentally screamed at her, _Get me away from him!_ Hopefully, she saw that in my expression.

However, Ozai's grip was unrelenting, and Ursa only stared, making no motion to help me. I turned back and met his gaze head on. The look in his eyes hardened as he dropped me back into the crib. My head almost banged against the wall, the shock of which forced me into crying. I couldn't help it! I felt so scared!

Ursa instantly picked me up and began to comfort me, murmuring sweet nothings. "Ssh, Zuko. It's going to be okay. Don't cry... Mother won't let anyone hurt you." She stopped speaking, but continued gently cradling me in her arms when Ozai drawled, "Are you sure this is my daughter? The look in her eyes is so weak. Has no spark at all. I can't help but doubt she's a firebender." Ursa's face grew indignant and she shot back, " _Yes_. Who _else_ could it be when you isolate me in this palace and cut me off from everyone I've ever known?"

I didn't think it was possible, but his face grew even colder as he threatened, "I hope you are right. If Zuko proves to be a nonbender, then there's going to be an _unfortunate accident_ soon," then promptly left the room. _Holy fucking shit._ I might be a crying infant, but there is no way I could have missed that he is going to _kill_ me! I sobbed even harder.

 _I can't do this!_ Now faced with irrefutable proof that I'm going to die without firebending, but with firebending I will be forced to fight in a war I'm not apart of, I felt so stressed and conflicted. _Okay, okay, get your priorities in order. The war will come about in more than a decade. You have time. Ozai will kill you_ now _. Think about the future later. Take things one step at a time._

I still don't want to fight and will not help the Gaang, but I can, at the very least, _bend_. My resolve strengthened, and I fell asleep in Ursa's arms.

* * *

Ursa, unsurprisingly, ends up being a fantastic mother. Complete contrast to child murderer Ozai. I suspect that her only job is raising me since I spend nearly every waking moment with her. In fact, the only time we don't spend together is at night.

Throughout these months, I couldn't help but grow to love her. As a mom, even. I still miss my family, and nothing can ever replace them, yet loving Ursa is inevitable. How can I not, when she's the first face I see whenever I cry, when I can feel her love.

Without fail, she tells a story every single night. They range from this universe's version of Grimm's Fairy Tales to Aesop's Fables. Those are accompanied with a picture book, where she points out each character to correspond with speech. I doubt she expects me to understand, but this type of early exposure sure helps.

(The language in the Avatar universe is so weird. Everyone speaks English, yet the writing is Chinese Mandarin. Even articles have characters! I suspect the system is uses a combination of regular, meaningful characters along with those solely for phonetic purposes.)

My absolute favorite, though, is when Ursa performs her rendition of _Love amongst the Dragons._ Her eyes brighten up, and I can tell she gets ecstatic.

With crudely drawn paper masks, she differentiates each character. I sat against the walls of my crib, neatly sitting as I prepare to watch the one woman play.

" _Damn you_ , Dark Water Spirit! For placing me in this weak, mortal form," Ursa exclaims. It's kinda hilarious since her face looks so concentrated and angry. Her hair is stuffed down her shirt to look short as she throws up her fist, cursing at the sky (our ceiling). I giggle and clap along, wanting to show her my joy.

Quickly shifting characters, she throws her hair out of her shirt to represent the mortal woman. In a small, hesitant tone, Ursa utters, "Hello?... Are you okay? I'm sorry, but you were making _quite_ the commotion earlier. What's your name?" Shifting back, she stuffs her hair down her shirt once more then furrows her brow, maintaining a seriously constipated look. In a deep, gruff voice, she replies, "What's it to you? And it's, uh, Noren."

Back to the female character, her face became unconstipated as she furrowed her brows in a more feminine way. "You don't seem too sure. My name is Noriko, by the way. Here let me get you something to eat." Unwilling to refuse food, the Dragon Emperor accepted her offer, in a conceited, "If you insist," manner.

Noriko let out a small laugh, clearly seeing through his act. Smiling, she took his hand and dragged him to the local noodle shop. What it looked like in reality is long-haired Ursa pulling an invisible man along while walking in place. Honestly, it seems a bit ridiculous, but her acting is actually great. It's as if she really is pulling someone, a look of adoration in her eyes.

While adjusting to his human body, the Dragon Emperor, "Noren," took the time and learned all about the human world. He discovered chopsticks, what seasoning is, and why humans chop wood, like a child learning about the world. Along the way, he also falls in love with Noriko, the one who took the time to teach him all these things.

Resolve strengthened, he sneaks out of her house one morning to buy a fire lily. Unfortunately, they only grow for a short period of time. Disheartened, Noren turned to the flower vendor for advice. For this role, Ursa pulled her hair into a low ponytail, closed her eyes, then asked in an elderly, raspy voice, "Ahh, you seek this flower for your one true love; is this correct?" Shifting into Noren, Ursa grimaced her face and quickly nodded, then transformed back into the vendor. "A flower of equal significance, the Panda lily, is grown in the rim of volcanoes. If you wish to prove your love, travel to the volcano 200 marks south, climb to the rim, and pick the flower." Ursa as Noren grew determined, saying her thanks to the flower vendor, quickly trekking out.

Meanwhile, Noriko woke up. Ursa walked in place for a while then pretended to open a door. Upon seeing the empty bed, her face turned into a myriad of emotions: shocked, concern, then resolved. She turned around, quickly walked in place, then opened another door.

Back with Noren, Ursa pretended to climb uphill, panting, declaring, "If only I was still a dragon! I said it once, and I'll say it again! _Damn you, Dark Water Spirit!_ " Finally getting to the rim of the volcano, she sprung back from the "heat" of the lava. Ursa reached down, faking exerting an intense amount of effort to get to the flower. When she "grabbed" it, my mother pulled out a real Panda lily!

All of the sudden, Noren tripped, falling into the lava. I gasped in shock. Back to Mother, Ursa saw my face and let out a laugh. She said, "Let's end here; it's getting late." When I quickly shook my head, Ursa only smiled and swore, "We'll do the rest, tomorrow night. Promise?" extending her pinky towards mine. I eagerly interlocked the digits, and let out a yawn. Pulling my blankets and tucking me in bed, she said a final, "Goodnight, my little Princess."

* * *

Tonight couldn't come fast enough. When my mother woke me up this morning, I acted out the Dragon Emperor to tell her what I wanted. Unfortunately, Ursa shook her head and told me, "Today, your uncle Iroh and and his son Lu Ten will visit us, today. We will definitely finish the story tonight."

Quickly changing me from my pajamas, she pulls on these deep red, silk robes. The sleeves are lined with gold accents and the lower half of the robe is wrapped with gold dragons. In my opinion, the extravagance is overkill since I will grow out of them soon enough, but it is comfortable and pretty.

Done with me, Ursa left to go to the bathroom to freshen up and prepare. It takes a significantly larger amount of time for her to dress up than it usually does, but the arrival of the Crown Prince and his heir is nothing to scoff at. I tugged at her sleeves, wordlessly asking why it took so long.

She immediately understands as her face softens and mouth confesses, "I actually don't know the Prince very well. We talked at my wedding in where he seemed like a perfectly fine gentleman. I must admit, he is a bit too militaristic for my tastes. Kind, yet also unyielding." Ursa's voice shifted into a conspiratorial tone, commenting, "He's got nothing on Prince Ozai, though." _I love my mom._ I let out a bright smile and a giggle as we laughed together.

A servant knocks on our door to bring in some snacks and tea. He tells us, "The Prince and the heir is about to arrive. Please prepare," bows, and then takes his leave. I can't tell what type of tea this is but the pot and cups are made of beautiful porcelain, glazed to perfection over the blue dragon accents. The snacks are placed on a wood plate, looking like popped rice crackers.

All of the sudden, the door opened and in came this solid man made of muscle. He is dressed in fire nation regalia with his armor on that marks him as a general. The young man behind him is taller, a bit more lanky yet just as solid. His armor is a bit simpler, making him a lieutenant perhaps, but still just as decorated.

The big man bellowed, "Greetings, Lady Ursa! It has certainly been a while since our last conversation." He then turned to me and spoke in a softer tone, "Ah well, your hands were certainly full raising this little one, is that right?" "Yes, that's right. My little princess can definitely be a handful sometimes." She picked me up and held me close to her body. "Why don't you greet Prince Iroh and Heir Lu ten, Zuko?"

Since I couldn't speak yet, the best I could manage was a clumsy bow. It looked like he appreciated the attempt when he smiled and said, "Zuko! Call me Uncle Iroh! This is your cousin, Lu Ten," motioning to him. Finally, the young man behind me stepped up and bowed, first to my mother, then to me. "It is very nice to meet you Princess Zuko." Just like his dad's, Lu Ten's smile was very kind.

After the introductions, we quickly sat down at the low table while Ursa placed me next to her. The adults in the room began to make small talk about the war, drinking tea and eating crackers along the way. My mother began, "How goes the war, Prince Iroh?" Both her tone and demeanor were painfully polite, which makes sense since she barely knew the man. "Very well, my lady," he replies. "We are steadily gaining territory in the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom. My son, in fact, led one of the sieges." Lu Ten humbled himself and said, "It was nothing too special. I also had the help of my father and my troops." Ursa saw through his demeanor and refuted, "You are very young, however, and it is a great honor and achievement to have already led a siege." Prince Iroh laughed and agreed with her. It is obvious how much pride he takes in his son.

Soon enough, morning became noon, and our guests had to take their leave. "We must leave for the war council, I'm afraid," the Prince declared. "But I would much rather stay here with the little princess." He let out a sigh then started to tickle me. I laughed, not stopping until he retrieved his intruding fingers. As they got up, Lu Ten said his final goodbyes to my mother and then gave me a doll. It looks like a plush turtle-duck, made out of felt and the fluffiest cotton. The eyes are made of beads that are bigger than the real counterpart. He says, "It's adorable, just like you are," then ruffles my hair. I give a face-splitting grin as thanks, accepting the gift and ruffling with grace.

When they left, our room felt emptier than ever before. "Well that was pleasant. I do hope they can visit again soon," Ursa said. I happily nodded my agreement, and then my nodding turned into nods of sleepiness. "It's time for my princess to take her nap." I changed out of my formal robes back to pajamas. Ursa placed me in bed then tucked my blankets in, not forgetting to place my new turtle-duck besides me.

Finally, I had met one of them I admired most in my past life. This whole entire time I was extremely excited, but this encounter left me a bit disappointed. Both him and his son were very nice, but they were just so _normal_. It's hard to equate him with the tea-loving character I had been so fond of. I guess this is my reality check that the great Iroh is just as human as anyone else. _And Lu Ten, oh Lu Ten_. During the Siege of Ba Sing Se, he will die and Iroh will call off the siege. I really, really don't want him to die, but it was through his son's death that Iroh gained the wisdom and humanity he is so known for. _Ugh_ , I shouldn't think about this now. That siege is a long time away, and it won't do any good to stress about it now.

I drift off to sleep.

* * *

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed!**

 **Guest reviewer: a guy**

 **There will definitely be more changes to the plot!**

 **Guest reviewer: Gogglegirl**

 **I like that you agree with her logic! Unfortunately, not everything will work out the way she wants to as shown in the beginning of this chapter.**


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